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Original poster

How large a house do you think is comfortable for a family of 4?

15 replies

HairyPorter · 29/09/2013 11:46

Dc are 2.8 and 1, and share at the moment but are different sex so I'm guessing will need separate rooms in a few years. We also need a guest room as have my mum and mil live abroad and when they visit, they stay for at least a month each. Our current flat (rental) is 1300+ sqft. We are looking to buy but if we wanted a nice location will have to compromise on size (probably down to 1100sqft). Should we aim to move further out and get a bigger space? Will we need more as the kids get older??

OP posts:
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 29/09/2013 11:49

Tbh I think kids need less space as they get older. Our biggest priority was getting them a bedroom each, which is why we moved. We haven't got a guest room though.

BigBoobiedBertha · 29/09/2013 11:51

How often do your mother's stay?

If is very difficult to say in terms of square meters. You are better off talking rooms. Could you for instances have a house with a study that could sometimes be used as a bedroom, albeit a very small temporary one?

You definitely need 3 bedrooms and for a few more years yet your DC can share for a month or so at a time so it sort of depends on whether your next move is your forever house or whether you see yourself moving again in a few years.

heidihole · 29/09/2013 12:03

I would prefer a 4 bed house for a family of 4. The extra room will always be used. Guest room/playroom/study. That to me would be comfortable.

dimsum123 · 29/09/2013 20:00

We are a family of 4, DD 10 and DS 7. We have 3 double bedrooms, a single spare room and an office that could be used as a small double room. We have 2 bathrooms plus 1 downstairs wc. 2 seperate reception rooms downstairs and a huge kitchen diner plus a seperate utility and storage room.

It feels just right sizewise. Especially if we hv guests to stay and/or DC's have friends round.

Pinkje · 29/09/2013 21:18

I wouldn't be too concerned on bedroom sizes as long as there is room to sleep BUT I would insist on 2 bathrooms (well 1 shower room and 1 bathroom) because this is what you need as the kids get older.

Periwinkle007 · 29/09/2013 21:56

I think if grandparents stay for an extended period relatively often then yes 4 bedrooms BUT would do the 4th room as a study/playroom with a sofa bed. Children do not need big bedrooms, especially if they have this other room that they can use. A small room each will be fine.

I agree though that you would ideally want 2 bathrooms/shower rooms or at least certainly 2 toilets.

We are a family of 4 but the two girls share a room, we have 3 bedrooms, separate bath/sink and toilet/sink (plus another toilet/sink downstairs). Another proper bathroom would be wonderful. We also rarely have people to stay (grandparents are local) but if we did then I would want a bigger spare room and the second bathroom would be more important.

noisytoys · 29/09/2013 22:10

A bedroom each plus a bedroom for the parents as a minimum.

We are a family of four in a flat with one single bedroom and one double bedroom. The DDs have a bedroom each and me and DH sleep in the living room. It's a squeeze.

Original poster
HairyPorter · 30/09/2013 13:37

Wow noisytoys! That is quite a squeeze. My mum and mil will stay for at least a month each once a year (so most likely we'll have a guest for about 3 months per year). They're both in their 60's so I'm assuming by the time the kids get to the age when they need their own rooms, my mum and mil are unlikely to travel long haul to visit us. We're looking for a 3 bed as a minimum but the ones we can afford in nice locations are small... So we won't have a playroom (or space in the living room we could mark out as play space).... Sigh... Think we may have to compromise on either location or size...

OP posts:
PrincessRomy · 30/09/2013 13:41

We have got a 3 bed with 1 bathroom but scope to extend into the loft in the future when we can afford it. It's worth seeing the potential of a house that could grow with you.

MrsMarigold · 30/09/2013 13:44

I think 1100ft is tiny for four people and contrary to what other people say, I think as they grow they need more space! Can you think of anything worse than having to share your living space with your DC when they are teenagers and their friends are visiting and you are having a dinner party?

I would move out somewhere where you get more space, also features like high ceilings make it seem less oppressive but I guess it's horses for courses. Some people like places that re smaller cosier in winter I prefer space and don't mind draughts.

NewBlueShoesToo · 30/09/2013 13:48

Sometimes the layout is more important than the space. We don't have a hall so everything lands in the kitchen. The house is big enough but I think sometimes the flow of rooms is more important.

Sixtiesqueen · 30/09/2013 13:52

We have two kids and our 3 bed house was extended to create one extra (4 bedrooms) and then we split the biggest room in two leaving a double room and bunk room (now 5 bedrooms).

We also have a study and a playroom that will become a second sitting room for the kids.

For us, we had to consider that people often come to stay and they bring their children. All of our children are getting older and its more useful to have two guest rooms than one big one.

It's much harder to get on the housing ladder now. It's also much more expensive to go to university and though I want my kids to experience living away from home, realistically they may live at home if they go to university. In this case they would have their own sitting room and we would change bed 5 into their own study.

Also think about getting a driveway big enough for your cars and theirs. They do say to 'futureproof' your house where possible and having more space will allow for this and for changes in circumstances that may arise.

IShallCallYouSquishy · 30/09/2013 13:53

We will be a family of 4 in march. We have a 1500sq ft townhouse with 4 bedrooms. One massive double en suite (ours) one average double (guest) and 2 bigish singles (DD's and what will be new babys). We are very fortunate to have an enormous kitchen/breakfast room and lounge so have turned the good size dining room into a playroom.

I think if you can have a room each for DC's and/or somewhere to keep toys that's more important than the actual size.

bigTillyMint · 30/09/2013 14:00

We are a family of 4 in a 4-bed house. It has been fine all the way - DC are now teens - though DD's bedroom is a bit small now keep the loft conversion for guests and the DC use it when friends are over/have sleepovers.

I would go for as big as you can afford, especially if you are expecting to have people staying for lengths of time.

MrsAMerrick · 30/09/2013 17:31

dimsum123 I think you live in my house! And yes, it's a great size but we have managed in a smaller house, it depends on layout of rooms etc.
I have found as DCs have got older they hardly spend any time downstairs so our 2nd reception room, which was a playroom, is hardly used. So we've turned it into a spare (double) room as parents are finding stairs more difficult, and smallest room upstairs is now the study with a spare (single) bed in it. That works best for us as DCs are (grunting) teens. When they were smaller the 2nd reception room/playroom was brilliant for their Playstation crap educational toys

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